Mother and Daughter
by Crona4
Summary: The shared, special moments of connection felt between Queen Elsa and her daughter, Princess Mira.
1. Chapter 1

Queen Elsa sat on the white hospital bed, still breathing sort of heavily with a little bit of sweat coating her forehead. In her arms sat the most beautiful child she could ever have imagined. The baby had the most angelic face ever. She looked up with a smile at her husband, King Arthur, who had captured her heart but 6 years ago. It took her forever to finally agree to a child. Now that she was holding her newborn daughter, she was wondering what took her so long.

Her gaze flicked down to her daughter again as she hugged her closer to her, the love she was feeling drowning out any ice and therefore keeping her child safe.

Elsa had never really thought about having a child one day, nor even meeting a man as warmhearted and kind as King Arthur. But yet, somehow, she did, and she still puzzles over what she did to deserve this.

King Arthur gently reached out and held onto Elsa's wrist, smiling at their daughter. She's beautiful, just like you…" he whispered in a soft voice.

Elsa's smile widened as she enjoyed the feeling of his warm hand on her cold wrist. It took away some of the coldness, which was a luxury that only Anna and King Arthur could give her so far. She hoped that her daughter would have the same effect on her. "And I bet she will be as gentle and sweet as you are," she replied quietly, still a tiny bit weak, but renewed by the love and warmth in the room.

Doctors looked on with genuine smiles plastered on their faces. It was a joyous moment for everyone in the kingdom of Arendelle as news of their beloved Queen Elsa's newborn child spread like wildfire.

"I hope so," King Arthur answered. He looked up at Elsa, and she met his eyes, having to tear her gaze away from her daughter. She smiled warmly at him, and accepted the small, yet savory kiss he gave her, kissing him back throughout the short amount of time.

They were interrupted by voices outside of the door. "What is that?" Elsa wondered aloud, her mind the tiniest bit foggy still. Neither of them could make out any words that she voices were saying. They could only understand the tone, which was excited.

The words were muffled, and Elsa strained to hear them, but she couldn't. Her daughter broke out into cries at the almost imperceptible movement and Elsa settled down again, holding her daughter even closer. "Shh… Shh… It'll be alright, my adorable little munchkin..." she shushed her child quietly. Then she began to hum a familiar, calming tune.

Eventually, the baby calmed down again. Elsa let out a relieved breath as her child fell into sleep once more, and Arthur tightened his grip on her wrist lovingly.

Both Elsa and Arthur looked up towards the door as it opened. Elsa winced a tiny bit in surprise, but then relaxed again. She was glad that she hadn't woken her baby up again.

"Come quietly, she's sleeping," she called softly to the guests. Without further command, Elsa's younger sister, Princess Anna, and her husband, Kristoff, took gentle steps towards them.

Trailing behind Anna and Kristoff were their two children, Otto and his younger sister Rosie. They were silent, and probably had around a dozen lectures about how to act around a newborn child.

"Oh, my… She's beautiful…" Anna said in a hushed voice when she caught sight of her niece. Her hand flew to her mouth so that she wouldn't make any more sound, scared that she would wake the baby up.

"I know," Elsa replied in the same exact tone, unable to take her gaze off of her angel-faced daughter.

Anna crossed over to the side that Arthur wasn't on, and rested one hand on Elsa's shoulder, Otto following her and peeking over the side of the bed to see. Rosie tried to do the same, but she wasn't big enough. Kristoff walked over and lifted his daughter into the air so that she'd have a better look. "You did great. You're going to make an amazing mother…" Anna continued.

Elsa finally looked up at Anna, her warm smile never leaving her face. "I hope so…"

Anna finally decided to ask the question that was probably on the whole entire kingdom's mind. "What's her name?"

Elsa switched her gaze to Arthur, raising one eyebrow in question. He gave a small nod, giving her the go-ahead to announce the name they had picked out for a daughter.

"Her name is Mira."

Gently, as if forgetting everyone else is there, Elsa began to whisper. "Good night, my little munchkin. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…"


	2. Chapter 2

"Mother?" The soft voice carried through the door into Queen Elsa of Arendelle's room. She already knew that it was her one and only daughter. Her husband, King Arthur, hadn't made it past the recent epidemic of a new, deathly disease that the doctors called Jinx.

Elsa stood up from her bed, closing her book, and treaded lightly over to her door. She opened it and, sure enough, her daughter was standing there, biting her lip. Her daughter was basically an exact replica of her, minus the powers of course.

Elsa smiled down at her 5-year-old daughter, her smile gentle and loving. "Yes, Mira?" she asked in a warm voice.

Mira's blue eyes met her mother's, and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I-I was just wondering if I could sleep in here tonight…?"

Elsa's smile widened a little bit more at her daughter's question. She reached down and scooped her surprised child up, holding her just like she had when Mira was born.

"Of course, my little munchkin," she replied, using her motherly nickname that she always used for her daughter. Mira broke into childish, sweet laughter as she beamed up at her mother.

"Yay!" she squealed in delight as her mother carried her over to her queen-sized bed. She still missed her father, but she knew that he could never come back. She also knew that it was best not to mention him to her mother, who was still a little sensitive when it came to that topic.

Elsa set Mira down and walked over to the fireplace that she had built in her room for this purpose. Using a match, the fire burst into a small, yet warm flame.

Elsa sat down on her bed and picked Mira up, hoisting her daughter onto her lap. Lovingly, she brushed a few stray strands of her daughter's platinum blonde hair out of her face.

"Oh… And mother?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Could you, um… Sing to me, maybe?"

Elsa gently began to undo Mira's two braids, taking her time. She started with the left one, a mixture of emotions flitting through her chest. "Of course," she whispered. As she tugged at the braids, she began to sing in a soft voice.

_"__The snow glows white on the mountain tonight, not a footprint to be seen. A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the queen."_

Mira leaned back the slightest bit, enjoying the sound of her mother's sweet voice. She loved it when her mother sang to her. It made her forget all the hardships of life.

_"__The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside, couldn't keep it in, heaven knows I tried… Don't let them in, don't let them see, be the good girl you always have to be. Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know; well, now they know."_

Elsa finished with one braid and quickly moved onto the other one, every action filled with love.

_"__Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore. Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway."_

Mira smiled at that last line. Another thing she adored about her mother was her ice powers. They could turn any day into a snow day, and therefore a happy day.

_"__It's funny how some distance makes everything seem small. And the fears that once controlled me can't get to me at all. It's time to see what I can do, to test the limits and break through. No right, no wrong, no rules for me. I'm free. Let it go, let it go, I am one with the wind and sky. Let it go, let it go, you'll never see me cry. Here I stand and here I stay. Let the storm rage on."_

Elsa paused for emphasis, lost in memories. She remembered building her ice castle… Enjoying the feeling of being free… Learning that she could never be free… Accidentally freezing Anna's heart… The attack… The chandelier… _No,_ she told herself, and gave herself a small shake. She continued to sing in a motherly way to her daughter.

_"__My power flurries through the air into the ground. My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around, and one though crystallizes like an icy blast. I'm never going back; the past is in the past."_

Elsa finished with the second braid, and brushed her daughter's hair back with her fingers. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and leaned back, pulling her daughter onto her stomach and hugging her close.

_"__Let it go, let it go, and I'll rise like the break of dawn. Let it go, let it go, that perfect girl is gone. Here I stand, in the light of day. Let the storm rage on, the cold never bothered me anyway."_

By this time, Mira had already fallen into a deep slumber, her mouth open a little bit and her gentle snoring comforting. Elsa never let go of her.

Instead, she just whispered softly in her ear, not loud enough to wake her. "Good night, my little munchkin. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…"


	3. Chapter 3

Elsa walked out of the castle with a mischievous grin on her face. Her daughter's 9th birthday was tomorrow, and she had one last present to get for her…

She crossed into the stables and mounted her beautiful white mare, Snowflake. "Come on, girl. This will be a sort of long ride…"

She kicked her horse into a trot and firmly pulled the reins in the correct direction. Snowflake obeyed, immediately heading in the direction her reins had been yanked. Elsa reached down and ran her hand idly over her mare's neck.

Mira was in a tutor session on how to have good etiquette. Since Anna and Kristoff's two children Otto and Rosie had no desire of taking the throne when they were older, Mira stepped in and volunteered, angel that she is.

Elsa planned to get Mira something she had been asking for since she was 6. She wasn't sure why she hadn't gotten her the thing yet, but she planned to today. "Come on," she breathed to Snowflake. "To the local shelter…"

Mira bounced up and down in her seat as presents were brought out of the Present Room, a room that was usually locked with only few copies of the key. It being locked keeps curious little hands out, as Mira learned.

One day, she had tried to take a peek at her birthday presents. Her mother saw her and scolded her, but hugged her afterwards, anyways. Mira still didn't like the scolding part.

Elsa was sitting beside her daughter on the couch, their hands linked. A gentle smile was on Elsa's face, and all around them were Kai, Gerda, a few of the other servants, Anna, Kristoff, Sven(Elsa allowed him inside the castle just this one), and Olaf.

Elsa gave Mira a small nudge and she immediately grabbed the closest present to her. She was about to open it up when Elsa spoke up.

"Ah, ah, ah. Card first," she pointed out. Mira looked down, just then realizing there was a card.

"Oh," she said, and grabbed the card. She opened it, making sure to keep a smile on her face as she read it. She could read pretty well for a 9 year old. It stated that her Aunt Anna, Uncle Kristoff, Cousin Otto, Cousin Rosie, and Sven were wishing her a happy birthday and that they loved her.

Mira smiled up at her aunt and uncle before carefully opening the present, just barely remembering to be eloquent, like her mother had instructed multiple times within the last week or two.

Inside was a stuffed reindeer, a beautiful ice bracelet, and a picture. The picture was sort of small. Mira looked closely at it and saw a woman on a horse.

"Her name is Joan of Arc, or Joan for short," Anna spoke quietly, a mixture of emotions running through her.

Mira smiled down at it, and then set the three things next to her. Quickly she jumped up and rushed over, giving her Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins a big hug. "It's beautiful! Thank you!" She even took a carrot from Kristoff and fed it to Sven, petting him happily.

She put the bracelet on her, beaming at it. The rest of the presents flew by quickly. She was slightly disappointed that she didn't get what she had been wanting forever, but she was still happy about the ones she did get.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Elsa exclaimed, standing up and walking down a different hallway. She reached a locked room and opened it, disappearing inside. Everyone looked at each other in wonder. Soon, Elsa returned with a mewling box with holes in the top.

Mira's hopes skyrocketed. She hastily took the box from her mother. She undid the ribbon and took the top off. Out jumped a fluffy caramel-colored cat with a regal-looking mixture of stripes and spots decorating its face body, and neck.

"No. Way!" Mira breathed, already hugging her cat close. Somehow she already kenw it was a female. "Thank you so much Mom! I love her!" she squealed in delight, basically tumbling onto her mother who had returned to her seat. The cat was squished between them, btu she didn't seem to mind.

"Anything for my precious little munchkin," Elsa replied, hugging her daughter and the cat in return.

All throughout eating cake, everyone, which included the cat who was now named Ally, had a blast. Ally ended up trying to munch on Rosie's piece of chocolate cake that she hadn't finished, but Elsa caught her in time. By the end of the day, Mira was wiped. She crashed on the couch, and once everything had settled down, Elsa came to retrieve her.

She smiled at the sight of her daughter sleeping. Gently, she collected her daughter in her arms and carried her over to her room. Mira had insisted her walls were painted lavender, her favorite color, and the color seemed soothing to Elsa.

Elsa carried Mira over to her bed and sat down with her daughter in her lap. Before she took her off and tucked her in, she began to whisper softly. "Good night, my little munchkin. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…"


	4. Chapter 4

A few knocks sounded at Elsa's door. She looked up from the paperwork she was working on, fixing her gaze on the door.

"Mom? Can I come in?" Mira's voice sounded through the door. Elsa broke into a smile at her daughter's sweet voice. It reminded her so much of her father's… With a sigh, Elsa looked down at her paperwork. After a few minutes of debating, she decided that she could take a break for her only child.

Elsa crossed over to the door and opened it, still smiling. Her daughter was getting taller. "Come on in, baby," she invited with an even warmer smile.

"Seriously, Mom? You know I hate it when you call me that."

"Sorry." Elsa's smile faltered a little bit. This was just a downside of her daughter being a teenager. Mira didn't exactly need her much anymore, and that nearly broke Elsa's heart.

Mira still reached over and gave her mother a hug, though. After a second of shock, Elsa hugged her daughter back. For the first time, she noticed how giddy with excitement Mira seemed.

Elsa raised one eyebrow, and Mira tried to contain her joy, but it burst out of her all at once. "Mom, can I get a boyfriend?"

"_What?"_ Elsa sputtered, caught completely off guard. Her smile had faded and a frown had replaced it, a look of utter confusion on her face.

"You know, a boyfriend. Like, a boy that you date?" Mira replied sort of sarcastically.

"Mira, where is this coming from?" Elsa asked, her mind reeling with shock at her daughter's sudden request. Really, where _had_ it come from? What was going on? She gave her head a tiny shake and waited for her daughter's answer. She shifted her weight onto one foot and crossed her arms, tapping one arm lightly with her fingers. She resisted the urge to cough no matter how intense the tickle in her throat became. It was just a little cold, probably.

"Well…" Mira began, putting emphasis on the word. "There's this new guy at class. His name is Drake. He is super cute! I-I think I kind of like him… And, there's a rumor that he likes me back! Isn't that exciting?"

"Mira…"

"I mean, he _actually_ likes me back… It just seems too good to be true!" Suddenly, Mira gasped. "What if he asks me out? Do I say yes?"

Elsa interrupted her daughter's babble by placing her hand on her daughter's arm. "Mira, listen to me." Mira shut up and looked at her mother questioningly. "You can't have a boyfriend."

"What?"

Elsa was suddenly reminded of the day of her coronation, where Anna came to her, asking for her blessing on the marriage between Anna and Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. _No._ Elsa refused to let herself think about it. "You're way too young," she started to explain.

"What do you mean? I'm fourteen!" Mira exclaimed, starting to get angry. Her anger was showing on her face, and Elsa had to swallow hard to not give in.

"You're proving my point. Fourteen is way too young. Trust me, Mira; I know what I'm saying. I know you think that right now a relationship is the most important thing in the world. Well, it's not. There's much more kinds of love than romantic love."

Mira was becoming even more and more upset as the minutes tick by. "How do you know that? It's not like you did anything when you were my age! You just sat in your room all day!"

Elsa's face portrayed the hurt she felt inside of her. "Enough, Mira. You are not allowed to have a boyfriend, and that is final."

"You don't know the first thing about love! You just want me to be alone all my life! And you know what? I… I hate you!" Mira screamed, and then marched to the door. She opened it and stormed out, running down the hall towards her room. Anna, who had been eavesdropping, rushed inside as soon as Mira was gone.

Elsa was sitting on her bed, trembling violently, too weak with emotion to stand up. Her eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill, and Anna ran over to her sister.

"Elsa! Elsa, calm down. It's okay… You're okay, I promise…" Anna whispered soothingly as she wrapped her arms around her big sister. "It's just her hormones… She's a teenager now, and believe me when I say I know how important romance seems to them… Just-just stop crying… please…"

Anna had a few tears peek out of her own eyes since she hated to see her sister cry. Elsa could just barely wrap her shaking arms around Anna though, much less stop crying. All at once, Elsa broke into a series of sobs, interrupted here and there by a few coughs that Anna brushed off quickly.

Once Elsa had let out all of her emotions, Anna made sure she was okay and then left to find Kristoff and her own children. Elsa snuck a peek at the clock. It was 10 pm. _Had I really been crying that long…?_ She wondered to herself. She didn't even like to cry, much less to burden Anna with her tears. But sometimes, she had to just let it go.

She knew what she had to do next. She stood up and walked lightly towards the door. She opened it, stepping out into the hall. Biting her lip out of anxiety, she treaded down the hall and was faced with the door to Mira's bedroom. She hesitated, and then knocked three times. No answer.

When she opened the door anyways, she found her daughter asleep on her bed. She had tear stains on her cheeks, as well. Elsa followed her instinct and walked over to her daughter's bed. She gently slid her arms under her daughter, who was almost too big for her to hold, slid her onto her lap, and began to talk in a quiet voice.

"Good night, my little munchkin. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…"


	5. Chapter 5

Queen Elsa found herself in a hospital bed once more. Outside, the storm was raging on, a furious blizzard despite it being near the end of spring. She gasped for air, her breaths coming quickly. The door opened and closed, and Elsa wondered who it could possibly be.

The doctors said that they weren't allowing any visitors. Elsa couldn't encourage herself enough to lift her head. She erupted in a huge coughing fit. The small coughs she had been having two years ago had slowly grown more intense, and suddenly the plague had hit her like a wave. Doctors started to panic when Elsa first collapsed three weeks ago. Since then, she had been stuck in this cage, being plagued by the unknown sickness.

It wasn't exactly contagious, or so the doctors thought. They weren't completely sure, so she had them block off visitors. Apparently one persuaded his or her way through, though.

A soft hand slid into Elsa's pale one that had been sitting open and idle on her lap. She finally lifted her head, using up a lot of strength, and was met with a pair of deep blue eyes exactly like hers.

"Mira…" she croaked, and then coughed some more, tears squeezing out of her eyes.

"Shh… Shh… It's okay…" Mira cooed softly, clutching her mother's hand a little more. She was fighting back tears at her mother's weak state. Elsa's skin was deathly pale, paler than usual. She was trembling violently, and there was a bucket on the other side of her bed filled with bile, since Elsa had been unable to eat anything. Whatever she had tried to eat, she'd vomit right back up. Therefore, she was unhealthily skinny.

Elsa stopped trying to talk after that, only coughing and holding onto her daughter's hand as if she was holding onto dear life.

After a long silence, Mira was surprised to hear her mother attempt to talk once more. "Mira… I-I think it's… I think it's almost… Time…" Elsa was interrupted every now and then by coughing.

"No… No, Mom, don't say that…"

"My precious little… Baby… I-I remember when… When you were small and… You would… N-need me to… To tie your shoes a-and wipe… Your nose…" she whispered, her voice hoarse as she struggled for breaths.

Mira had a few rebel tears running down her cheeks, but her mother insisted on going on.

"I… I miss those times… I miss teaching y-you how… To write and how to ride… A bicycle… I don't lo… Love you any less now but I still… Miss those times when… When you needed me… N-now you're s-sixteen and… You don't n-need me… Anymore…"

More and more silent tears fell down both of their cheeks, and Mira struggled to find words almost as much as her mother struggled to breathe normally.

"N-no… You're wrong… I do still need you…" Mira whispered, her voice thick with tears. "I'll always need my momma…"

"Mira…? Can you p-promise me… One thing… Please?" Elsa choked out, coughing continuously, growing ever so weaker.

"Anything…"

Elsa met her daughter's gaze once more, breathing heavily. "P-promise me that… That one day, you will be… The best queen ever… I-I broke things… I started to… Fix them, but… Not in time… Y-you need to be their… Their bandage… Cover up my damage… Please… Promise me this…"

Mira had started to tremble with emotions. "I promise…" she whispered.

Elsa offered her a weak smile, but it was too much and it fell almost immediately. "Good…"

They sat there then, not talking yet, not knowing what to say. Again, Elsa started to speak. "G-goo… Good… N… Nigh…"

Mira placed one finger over her mother's mouth, shushing her. She climbed onto her mother's hospital bed and sat down next to her. Gently, she slid her arms under her mother. Elsa was too weak with the disease to protest as Mira placed Elsa on her lap and held her against her chest.

As Elsa gasped for her last, dying breaths, Mira began to talk in a soft voice. "Good night, my precious mother. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…"


	6. Chapter 6

Mira stood in front of the grave that was already beginning to wear down with time. Five years now, her mother had been dead. She had made sure to visit the grave at least three times a week. She always talks to her deceased mother's body. Maybe it's crazy, but it makes her feel better. Like someone is actually listening to her.

Sometimes it even feels like her mother talks back to her, though she knows it's impossible… The winter breeze blew her platinum blonde hair to the side. She was an exact replica of her mother, except for the powers and a few minor details.

"Hello, Mom…" she started, sitting down in front of the tall grave, close enough to trace the obituary carved on it. She knew it by heart. _Cold does not always equate to darkness, and darkness does not always mean evil. No fire can melt the wondrous, beautiful spirit Queen Elsa has provided us._

"I'm twenty-one now… Queen Anna officially retired way too early… She says that it's my turn, but I don't know if I'm right for the job… Anyways, today was my coronation. I guess I'm Queen Mira now, huh?"

Mira gave a small chuckle and the winter breezes around her turned warm for a second, as if her mother was laughing gently along with her.

"Who would have thought?"

Mira paused before saying more, considering her next words carefully. "You were right about Drake… I-I think he just wanted to be with me so that he could be king… As soon as I became queen, he became a real jerk. He was slapping me around and ordering me to do ridiculous things… I'm sorry; I should have listened to you…"

The winds turned even colder for a few seconds, whipping Mira to the side and almost making her fall. "I know! I know!" she exclaimed, but gave a sad smile anyways. Once again, the breezes turned warm for a second, as if embracing her and telling her it would be alright.

"So, I dumped him," she added with a smirk. She thought she could very faintly hear chuckles, as if her mother was congratulating her, but wasn't sure. "I should have done that a long time ago, I know, but I guess it was too late now. The dude was embarrassed, especially since I did it in front of the whole population at the party." More faint chuckles, and this time Mira laughed along with them.

Suddenly, Mira took on a more serious tone. "You know, I never stopped missing you… Every time I pass by your old room… Every time I see snow… Every time I look in the mirror… I'm reminded of you… But now that I'm queen, I won't be able to visit as often… I'll try to come here once a week, but, well, you know how much time the queen duties take up way more than I do…" she said sadly, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

The winds stopped almost completely, making the cold wintry air much more bearable. Mira looked up at her mother's grave again, since her gaze had dropped to the ground, and gave a weak smile. "Thank you…" she whispered, enjoying the temporary warmth.

She didn't know how long she sat there, or how long she sobbed, but when she heard footsteps approaching, she knew that she had to pull herself together again. She grabbed a tissue out from her sleeve, since it was folded neatly there. She had learned that from her mother. She used the tissue to gently mop her wet cheeks and then blew her nose loudly into it, wishing that her mother was still alive to wipe her nose, like she used to.

"Queen Mira?" a servant asked tenderly, afraid something was wrong. Mira turned to face him, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"I'm alright, John. Thanks for checking up on me," she said in her elegant voice, standing up and brushing off her legs.

"Of course," John replied, stunned into near silence that she knew his name. "Your Highness, may I ask… Have you been crying recently?"

Mira sighed, relaxing her tight hold on her body just the slightest bit. "Yeah… I have been crying for who knows how long now…"

John just smiled and walked over to her, pulling a clean tissue out of his pocket. He wiped Mira's nose, since it was runny, and dried her eyes even more. "It's alright. It will be our little secret," he reassured her warmly, his voice as kind as his eyes.

"Thank you," Mira breathed in relief, since she hated it when anyone except for her mother saw her cry. And her mother was dead now, so there was no one she could turn to… Or maybe, perhaps, she could turn to…

"Anything for you, m'lady. And I'm serious. If you ever need anything, anything at all, just come to me," John insisted.

Mira smiled her thanks as John reached over and placed his arm around her shoulders, guiding her back towards the castle. Mira couldn't help but glance back at her mother's grave, seeming lonely now that she wasn't there anymore.

And then, it was almost as if she could hear her mother talking to her in a soft, lullaby, and overall soothing voice. _Good night, my little munchkin. And remember, I love you. I will always love you…_


End file.
